NGO Conference on Nepal to kick off in Germany

The 12 th a nnual conference of German Non-Government Organisations engaged in Nepal is being held in Cologne, Germany, on Saturday. The day-long annual meeting jointly organised by the German-Nepal Friendship Association (GNFA) and the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation (FES) will be participated by 40 NGOs and representatives of the government from Nepal and Germany as well as various development agencies and other organisations.

According to Ram Thapa, coordinator of the conference and Honorary Consulate of Nepal, the conference will focus on the working patterns of the NGOs in Nepal in the changed political situation. "German partners wish to start and continue their long term charity engagement in Nepal in non-political fields. The previous conferences proved as constructive sources of feedback to the concerned parties," the statement said.

Dr. Madan Kumar Bhattarai, ambassador of Nepal in Germany, Norbert Meyer, Chancellor and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Germany in Kathmandu, Dr. Beate Bartoldus, head of Asia division of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Jochen Kenneweg, head of South Asia division and Sabine Rothkegel, desk officer for Nepal at the BMZ, Ministry for Economic Cooperation, Sylvia Servaes, Working Group Peace and Development, Dorothea Otremba, DED, German Development Service and Iris Kobek, NGO Advisor in Nepal will address the conference.

Noted singer Ani Choying Dolma will give a concert in honour the participants of the conference, who will also participate in the meeting, according to the organisers. nepalnews.com Sep 16 06